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her, Alinor was always honest. She was telling him she could not love him. Ian shrugged. "There is nothing to repay." He looked away into the fire. "This will suit my needs as well as yours." |
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For the first time in years, Alinor again wondered why Ian had not married. Certainly he was not afflicted with a love for men. Equally as certain he was not indifferent to love altogether. If he had been, he could have married greatly to his profit many years ago. Between the deaths on Crusade and the deaths in the wars Richard had waged, there were suitable heiresses in plenty. There were also well-dowered daughters of mighty houses that would have been glad of a blood bond with Ian de Vipont. Thus, either he still sought a woman he could love or, more likely, there was already a woman he loved but could not have. As I love and cannot have, Alinor thought. She was moved by sympathy for him who might also suffer the hopeless longing she endured. |
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Only doubtless his woman was still alive. Alinor was shocked to feel a prick of jealousy. I will be no dog in the manger, she admonished herself. I will be blind and deaf. I cannot demand from Ian what I cannot offer to him. If he loves, I will look aside. So much I can do for him, who does so much for me. Perhaps that is what he desires, a woman who cannot offer a heart-whole love and thus would not be hurt because he cannot offer that either. |
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"Since you say you will have me, and I can see it will be greatly to my benefit that it should be so, let us consider what fine the king will lay upon us." |
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Ian turned sharply from his contemplation of the fire, his face a comical mixture of incredulity, relief and wariness. It was not like Alinor to yield so readily. On the other hand, she was essentially reasonable and clear headed, and the solution he had offered was practical. Watching her, he said, "None. I have paid already for the right to marry 'whomsoever I will.' It is common |
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